Love at the first sight - Cruising for adults ("stolen") - Finally you get the goody normally only kids get somewhere - That is all I love Holland America Line for. And it might sound stupid: You can experience a wonderful cruise on a small ship like RYNDAM too.

All highs and lows of one voyage came together in Málaga. Should I have known this earlier, I might stay all the day in my bed. BUT then I would also miss the highs. Let us start the day with a high before I came to the low: Holland America's Bread Pudding. The perfect start for a day - for someone who should work for the rest of a day in a colemine or on the cottonfields in Virginia. Every diabetologist would place me to a wall and execute me if he would see this plate. I wanted only to try again a single little bite and it was again heavenly. So I had water melon too and there it is only water inside. To balance. More I did not get since we wanted to leave the ship early.

The usual pictures: contact information of the agents in case something happens.

In the terminal they sold ticket for the shuttle-bus which would take us to the Main Square. As we wanted to go to the train station and were not familiar with the street condition we prefered to take a taxi.

Now the lowlight of the voyage: the driver who offered us the tour in the terminal followed us and told that he was the first in queue and we had to go with him. The other drivers did try to get the business. You should know: at this time most guests leaving the ship want to be taken to Granada for Alhambra so I understood their hopes to have guests to be taken there. We only wanted to be taken to the train station. We have very good memories to taxidrivers in Málaga: MSC FANTASIA (2009 / see Blog) und NORWEGIAN SPIRIT (2013 / see Blog). Like in every "civilized" city which I also count Málaga to, you have a published fare which should be good for all companies with a concession. It is displayed in every taxi.

Our driver would love to take us to Córdoba. I can imagine that he was frustrated that we only wanted to be taken to the train station. After 100 yards I noticed that he did not turn on the mete. He refused to turn it on and insisted to have 20 Euro. I started to yell at us in Spanish as cheap tourists who wanted to have everything for free. Through the downtown he drove about 50 miles/hour (max. speed 30 miles/hour). Just before we arrived the station he locked us into his car and released us after we paid the 20 Euro. Before we could close the door he drove away. Sofar to the lowlight of the day. We cannot get lower. It could only become better.

Due to the 50 miles/h we were too early at the Málaga María Zambrano Station. So I knew only from Barcelona the Cercanias (Commuter trains). It is like here in Germany. I saw at Barcelona Sants station that there was an access check for tickets and bagagge for the long distance high speed trains like at the airports. I saw also longer queues in Barcelona so I wanted to be earlier at the station to be safe but sorry. But we found out: Málaga was not Barcelona and here it was much calmer and more relaxed. Next time we know: no need to take a taxi from port to here and you can still catch your train.

On the website of the Spanish Railways RENFE I bought for 22.00 EUR (2016) tickets to Córdoba. 1st class was not available in the Avant-type-trains. Not a real high-speed traffic but for the short distance it was fine. We made it in 1:15 hrs to Córdoba. Train would be two hours (100 miles).

We arrived: Córdoba Station. Here we were expected: only one access to the platform but two exits. we need to call to find out where to meet.

As a good boss you should treat your employees nice. As a good boss you should try to share your exitement for cruising. As a good boss you should take your employees on a cruise - even it might be "only" one night on DELFIN (2009 / see Blog) from Hamburg, Germany to Kiel, Germany. But who remembered the great buffets of Hansa Cruises (a former German cruise company) knew how to make people exiting. As a good boss you should not mention your observations when you have the annual performance review interview: why someone reported as ill with leg problems the day before and the next day you find the same person suddenly on the dancefloor of a cruise ship while the Weather Girls were singing "It's Raining Man". Both should have left the company and her husband of the employee is by co-incidence Spanish and wanted to return to his homeplace after his well-deserved retirement. The best precondition to be welcomed as former boss incl. friends in Córdoba by Magdalena and Pepe. We arrived at the river Guadalquivir. But we had been here two days ago. We were told that this is Spain's longest river which connects Córdoba and Seville. Here we passed the Calahorra Tower (Torre de la Calahorra) (kept for next visit) and crossed the Roman bridge (El Puente Romano).

Meeting place with our tour guide was Meson Bandolero. Here we had an coffee and to show us the passion for details in the restaurant while we were waiting. Magdalena and I used the chance to share the news from Goslar, Germany (where we worked before).

Our tour guide Miguel Muñoz Ortiz is the brother-in-law of Magdalena. Meanwhile I see a church tower, but where is the church? We wanted to buy tickets. We must not pay? Had Miguel such good connections that we got tickets for free?

When we entered the church all of us were only speachless. We were so surprised what here was expecting for us. Miguel explained the history of the Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba and took us first to the Christian part of the cathedrale.

Later we went to the Muslim part of the cathedrale. You cannot repeat your impressions with words. You must have experienced it yourself. Best would be with a professional tour guide like Miguel.

As we need to head back soon the remainder of the time allowed only a short walk. Next time we definately want to see more.

Magdalena and Pepe wanted to invite us for lunch with their friends who ran a restaurant. As we could not wait until they open taht day Magdalena and Pepe decided to take us again to Bandolero to have a small bite for lunch. They ordered some typical local specialities. When I wanted to pay Pepe noticed it and insisted that we were their guests: Spanish hospitality.

Unfortunatley we had to head back to the station. We wanted to check for an opportunity to stay here for a couple of days and to have it attached to a cruise. Magdalena and Pepe had access to rented appartements close by and we noticed how much we did not see. We were taken back to the station: Here Sigi noticed that a fan was very practical with such kind of weather conditions. To see a shop there was not enough time anymore. So Magdalena gave hers to Sigi as gift.

I read in a magazine that the Tourist Police of Málaga was honored as such institution. I tried already in the morning to call them. None picked up the phone. Later when I was in the train towards Córdoba I got a call from them because they saw my number on their phone display. We appointed to show up when we were back on the way to our ship.

We tried to find a building with the house number and later found out that it was part of the Tourist Office building. There I made an offical report. It was not of the 20.00 EUR (5 km @ 0.86 EUR/km = 4.30 EUR plus initial fee of 3.65 EUR = 7.95 EUR / min. for rides from/to the port 8.00 EUR plus 1.00 EUR surcharge = 9.00 EUR - forced tips of 11.00 EUR) but about the way tourists were treated. You should stop allow such a driver to work. Just waiting time? No! Unfortunately I was not couraged enough: the police officer was a beauty of man that I really would love to have a selfie with him. But I also know that you cannot make such pictures with official officers and put such pictures on a blog without having problems later.

On the wall there was an award by the British Ambassador in Madrid, Spain, who praised the superb way they took care of the tourists' problems.

Just when we left the building we learned it was World Tourism Day and so most of the global attractions waived the admission fee. I was curious if they got refunded who pre-booked the tours on the ship.

As my report was released in perfect Spanish I let a copy having the authorities in charge with the City Goverment of Málaga. Here we got a reaction: the driver said that we offered him 20 EUR because we need to be at the station in 5 minutes and that was why he was driving so fast. Other taxi drivers at the taxi stand were whitness of our offer. I could lodge a complaint. That was what I did due to my Goslar contacts: what for do you have fellow-cruisers with Spanish roots who was joining me on a weekend Goslar, Germany - Hanover, Germany - Paris, France - Marseille, France - NORWEGIAN EPIC (2012 / see Blog)- Barcelona, Spain - Paris, France - Hanover, Germany - Goslar, Germany or Goslar, Germany - Göttingen, Germany - Frankfurt, Germany - Nice, France - Marseille, France - MSC PREZIOSA (2013 / siehe Blog) - Genoa, Italy - Milan, Italy - Zurich, Switzerland - Frankfurt, Germany - Göttingen, Germany - Goslar, Germany and may help me to translate a letter in a Spanish version. Gracias Rosa!

Rosa is Spanish (although she has an Italian nationality). She put on my to-do-list that I must eat Churros with a Spanish sticky hot chocolate. I ate Churros. I had also the hot chocolate in Spain before. Although I left Goslar in 2014: I was still working on my to-do-list of Spanish specialities. And when I saw them on the menu I had to take them immediately and as you can see: I did it exactly the way Rosa told me. Bruno and Sigi had their Málaga-Ice Cream in Málaga which was very good but also very much. Especially: they were more relaxed after eating it. The Málaga-Cup was not classified for adults only. We were by the way again in L'Epanto which we knew from our MSC FANTASIA voyage. Next to us there was a small fight between two waiters and a guest who was surprised how expensive the bill was: maybe it was our taxi-driver who changed his profession and now became waiter and pulled off the money from the next tourist.

We decided to walk back. You can walk very nice alongside the waterfront. When we came on MSC FANTASIA it was a huge construction site. Today many stores, a very nice promenade, a mini-train which connected to the cruise terminal. Sigi and Bruno walked to dismantle the alcohol level. I took the train (Parada Tren 3.00 EUR 2016) because I need some time to take pictures. The driver was orinally taxi driver from Córdoba and from Germany and helped out today with the train. We had a nice talk.

A small issue made me somehow angry: I asked multiple times at the front desk if they will release the correct Cartagena-sheet for all guests. Everytime I was sent away and told that the Cartagena-sheet will be replaced for all guests (we got Columbia but Spain). And it was not delievered and replaced. So they printed a single sheet for me. Normally I loved Holland America for their 101% perfection with their organisation.

Short-term I went to have a Baby-Pizza. The Finocchio. Awarded with the Pizza-World Championship in Naples, Italy and created by Elizabeth Falkner, Member of the Culinary Council. As it looked like it was 2012. And as it looked like you more than one championship in competition so I did not understand properly.

I liked to come to see the Team of NY Deli & Pizza. The team was always happy and nice: Reggie, Pandji, Ryan, Sarah.

Neil Lockwood was the lead-singer of the groups ELO and The Alan Parsons Project. Actually my world of the 80s. But Joyce and June attracted all my attention who sat on the other side of the theater: you could see that they had a lot of fun with the show. They moved with the music and sang all the time. It was really nice to see them. Fun which spreaded out. I was not too sure with the lyrics when singing with. I could not remember more but "Hold on tight of ELO and "Don't answer me" of The Alan Parsons Project. I was becoming older and the next day I would really notice it. Good Night.

Über mich / About me

lebt in einer glücklichen Partnerschaft... pendelt zuviel... einerseits zwischen seinem Arbeits- und Wohnort. Ansonsten auch mittlerweile zuviel in der Weltgeschichte.
lives in a happy partnership... commutes too much... between his home and his work... but also around the world.